San Diego Gas & Electric Contracts for 205.5 MW of Wind Power

23 October 2005

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has contracted with enXco, a wind energy firm based in Escondido, Calif. to supply 205.5 megawatts (MW) of electricity to utility customers.

In addition, SDG&E has issued two requests for offers (RFOs) to increase its portfolio of energy derived from renewable resources, including wind, solar and geothermal.

The enXco contract, which must be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, calls for the construction of a 205.5-MW wind facility in Southern California, which will begin deliveries in 2007-08. New transmission lines will be needed to gain access to the energy. A megawatt is enough to power approximately 1,000 homes.

SDG&E’s goal is to supply 20% of its customers’ electricity needs from renewable resources like wind, solar and geothermal by 2010. The contract will contribute approximately 3.5 percent toward meeting its goal. To date, SDG&E has contractually secured a total of 13.3 percent of its retail delivery needs from renewable energy resources.

enXco develops, constructs, operates and manages (O&M) wind energy projects throughout the United States. The company owns a total of 298 MW of wind-energy installations in the United States. It is also one of the largest O&M providers for wind farms, currently servicing more than 4,000 turbines and more than 1,000 MW. Since 2002, enXco has been an affiliate of EDF Energies Nouvelles—renewable arm of EDF Group—and is 50% owned by EDF (France).

With a primary focus on wind energy, EDF Energies Nouvelles is also active in mini-hydro, solar and biomass. It has built up leading positions in the European Union and the United States with 800 MW in operation and 400 MW under construction in 2005.

The SDG&E contract will represent the largest project undertaken yet by enXco. The company’s most recent completed project was the 60-MW OASIS effort at the end of 2004. In May 2005, enXco announced it was partnering with PPM—the US subsidiary of Scottish Power—on the 150-MW Shiloh wind project in Northern California.

Separately, one of the two new RFOs seeks bids from all qualifying renewable developers to supply at least 1 MW, if the facility is in San Diego County, or a minimum of 5 MW if outside the county. Developers may propose projects for delivery anywhere on the ISO grid.

The second RFO seeks bids to place 1 MW to 3 MW of photovoltaic solar panels on SDG&E rooftops and possibly on other facilities, and also requests offers to supply a number of small wind turbines to be located at utility facilities.

Comments

I like the second RFO's focus on distributed renewables. I'd love to see more of this from major utility companies.

Again, California, with its pioneering emissions and efficiency standards and renewable energy targets is providing a model for the rest of the US to follow. It's time to see similar measures from other states, or even (I know, I know, it's not too likely) the Feds.

Additionally, at the bottom of each wind generation propella thing there is a net catch so all the birds or bits of birds that were struck can fall into it. Good source of compost.
Think harder San Diego. Whats wrong with making 100 prisoners turn a great big wheel to generate electricity?